Three-Piece Suit (Tequila and Sherry Big-Batch Cocktail) Recipe

This perfectly balanced, make-ahead tequila and sherry cocktail is a killer party drink. When your guests arrive, just open the bottle and start pouring.

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
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Updated November 16, 2023
A three-piece suit cocktail served in a coupe glass.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Adding water to the cocktail simulates the dilution of ice in an individual stirred drink; this way you can pour it right from the bottle into serving glasses and have it taste perfect.
  • Chilling for two to four hours in the freezer (or longer in the fridge followed by a brief stint in the freezer) nails the serving temperature so the drink is neither too cold nor too warm.

We like our drinks nicely tailored, with every element well matched and fitting right. This smooth little number from Steven Huddleston of Parcel 32 in Charleston, South Carolina, fits the bill, starting with a base of barrel-aged tequila, which layers agave’s grassy notes with soft vanilla aromatics. The reposado tequila blends seamlessly into oloroso sherry, which adds roundness and a nutty caramel note.

Recipe reprinted from Batch Cocktails: Make-Ahead Pitcher Drinks for Every Occasion with permission of Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

April 2019

Recipe Details

Three-Piece Suit (Tequila and Sherry Big-Batch Cocktail) Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 5 mins
Chilling Time 2 hrs
Total 2 hrs 5 mins
Serves 8 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (475ml) reposado tequila

  • 1 cup (235ml) oloroso sherry

  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) orange bitters

  • 1/4 cup 1:1 simple syrup (see note)

  • 3/4 cup (175ml) water

Directions

  1. At least 2 hours and up to 4 hours before serving, use a small funnel to pour tequila, oloroso sherry, bitters, simple syrup, and water into a 1-liter swing-top bottle. Seal, turn gently end over end to mix, and chill in freezer. (If you’d prefer to batch further in advance, refrigerate filled bottle, then place in freezer an hour or two before serving.)

Notes

To make 1:1 simple syrup, combine 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup very hot water in a resealable heatproof container, such as a mason jar, and stir to dissolve slightly. As soon as it’s cool enough to handle, seal container and shake until sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool completely before use; refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Reserve any remaining simple syrup for another use (like another cocktail or sweetening iced tea or coffee, or lemonade).

Special Equipment

1-liter swing-top bottle, small funnel

Make-Ahead and Storage

The cocktail can be mixed up to 2 weeks in advance and refrigerated; transfer to the freezer 1 to 2 hours before serving to chill it fully.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
137Calories
0gFat
7gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories137
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 183mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 7g2%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 0mg1%
Potassium 26mg1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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